Can I offer a starter feed + side of oyster shell to a mixed flock with roosters?

[RuffIedFeathers]

I was using scratch and peck brand food, which my chickens love. I switched to Purina flock raiser (much cheaper) and they hate it. Is there any food by scratch and peck that would be appropriate to feed to a flock with roosters? I do offer oyster shell on the side.
https://www.scratchandpeck.com/
I was thinking their starter, since it has 20.5% protein. Given their selection, which would you choose for a mixed age flock with roosters?
Thank you!

 

[Alagirl]

@U_Stormcrow has probably some info stashed away, somewhere.

I think (being a noob myself) the starter/flock raiser is fine when you offer calcium on the side.
As a matter of fact, it is preferable.
I am just entering week 2 of getting eggs from my all-girl flock though. offering flock raiser, layer pellets, and calcium (ouster shells) at the same time.
Or dig through Stormcrow's articles. There is a lot of good stuff there.
Of course - and that is not an observation from my chickens - the food the animals don't eat is the most expensive.
which is my personal experience from raising a couple of rather picky eaters, like that cat that would NOT eat anything from a can. Nothing. Not even Tuna!

 

[nuthatched]

How long did you offer the flock raiser?

 

[Aunt Angus]

The starter is fine. So is the grower. I suggest fermenting for Scratch & Peck. Less waste and better for nutrition.

 

[RuffIedFeathers]

How long did you offer the flock raiser?

I have given them 3 50lb bags so far. How long should I give it? I noticed them eating my other garden plants a lot more since offering the flock raiser and they go through it much slower than they did the Scratch and Peck. I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing. They do free range all day.

 

[Alagirl]

I have given them 3 50lb bags so far. How long should I give it? I noticed them eating my other garden plants a lot more since offering the flock raiser and they go through it much slower than they did the Scratch and Peck. I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing. They do free range all day.

do they actually eat it or just throw it around?
My ladies have the bad habit of turning the feeders over. So I am not too keen on getting larger ones than the quart size (although they would probably not turn the larger ones over that easily)
Again, the noob talking from no experience, I think when they have choices (free ranging and feed) they eat what they want and decide what they need .
As I noted above, Stormcrow has done some extensive collecting of feed info. However, once you free-range them, all bets are off IMHO. Bugs do not come with an ingredient label and are not regulated, nor formulated for maximum production.

 

[RuffIedFeathers]

The starter is fine. So is the grower. I suggest fermenting for Scratch & Peck. Less waste and better for nutrition.

I do when I have time (busy time for our family right now). I wonder if it would be better to use Scratch and Peck crumbles/pellets for the daily feed and then the fermented mash whenever I'm able. I switched feeds to save money, but I almost feel like I'm not, since they're throwing around the Purina flock rasier and being little rebels eating all my plants now.
I'm just not sure which Scratch and Peck feed is the best choice for a mixed age flock with roosters. I've read that a higher protein diet is better. Purina Flock Raiser is 20% protein, so that's why I was thinking the starter crumble or the starter mash would be best as an all flock feed, since the protein content is similar.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I do when I have time (busy time for our family right now). I wonder if it would be better to use Scratch and Peck crumbles/pellets for the daily feed and then the fermented mash whenever I'm able. I switched feeds to save money, but I almost feel like I'm not, since they're throwing around the Purina flock rasier and being little rebels eating all my plants now.
I'm just not sure which Scratch and Peck feed is the best choice for a mixed age flock with roosters. I've read that a higher protein diet is better. Purina Flock Raiser is 20% protein, so that's why I was thinking the starter crumble or the starter mash would be best as an all flock feed, since the protein content is similar.

Crumble is messier than pellets. I like the Nutrena All Flock or the Dumor All Flock pellets for that reason. Less protein, but 16%+ is pretty standard.

I like Scratch & Peck fermented. I don't ferment often anymore for the exact same reasons you state. My birds do well on pellets, and I don't have to worry about them missing any nutrients. With whole seed feeds, there is always a lot of dust leftover. That dust is the added vitamins and minerals. And the whole seed feeds are so dang pricey. It wasn't a big deal when I had 4 chickens. With 18 and 8 ducks, I save money with the pellets.

 

[Tonyroo]

My flock hates the starter chick scratch and peck, I tried feeding it to them, but they looked at it and walked away. Lol. $35 bag went into the compost. Live and learn.

Any high protein feed that your chickens will eat is fine for mixed age and gender flock.

 

[3KillerBs]

I never tolerated picky children and I won't tolerate picky chickens.

Put whatever good-quality feed you choose to provide into the feeder and walk away. When they're hungry they will eat it.

Some forms of feed are easier or harder to waste.

Some feeders handle one form of feed better than others.

Some feeders enable waste and others deter it.

*Personally* I see the least waste from using pellets in a traditional metal hanging feeder with a deep pan that has an inward-rolled lip.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/in-praise-of-the-traditional-hanging-feeder.1452899/

I have also noticed increased feed consumption when I've had to buy an occasional emergency bag of cheap layer feed (16%). I suspect that they increase their consumption to compensate for the reduced protein and the fact that the calcium incorporated into that feed is non-nutritive.

Thus I would not be at all surprised to see reduced consumption in the transition from layer to all-flock.